There have been a number of different engines in the life of the Frontera
A, the 2.0 litre 4 cylinder petrol engine always was supplied by Holdens
Australia; the various diesels came from OPEL & VM Motori (as in the JEEP
Cherokee), for Frontera 145 the engines have always been supplied 4 cyl
petrol - Holden; V6 - ISUZU; 4 cyl diesel - OPEL. The OPEL/Holden sourced
engines were shared with other GM products although care has to be taken in identifying common parts as many of the ancilaries and fueling systems are unique for the Fronteras, especially when comparing them with transverse engine variants.

The original Frontera 'A' and the current Frontera '145' are in the main
built from UK or European parts. The chassis and the majority of body and
trim items are UK sourced not ISUZU, IBC have a large stampings operation.
Mechanical parts such as steering, axles and suspension are UK sourced not
ISUZU. Gearboxes are generally ISUZU although the autobox is OPEL. The
transfer box is ISUZU. Due to these parts being unique to the European
specified Frontera, common parts with other ISUZU products should be
treated with caution.

There are alternative suppliers for most bits and pieces. The links section is always worth a look.

The Frontera A was
Developed for the European regulations and market by IBC
Based on the Isuzu Amigo (SWB) produced in Japan and Isuzu Rodeo
(LWB) produced in USA.
UK production started in mid-1991.
Ceased production April 1998 after 216464 units

The Frontera 145 is
All new vehicle developed for the European regulations and market by
ISUZU.
Vehicle also produced in USA for N. America, Australia and Japan.
Production started June 1999 with launch in Europe during September.
All new chassis and body with revised 4 cylinder petrol and diesel
engines and a new V6 petrol engine for the LWB.

Vauxhall set their prices in line with corporate policy; they are only a small part of General Motors, which holds some 12% of Isuzu, as well as a huge array of American car manufacturers.

The thing to remember is that apart from 2.0, 2.2, 2.3D, 2.4 & 2.5VM engine spares all other components are ISUZU and will come to your local dealer in Isuzu packaging, that’s why they’re a little expensive.

The 2.4 4cyl engine is actually derived from the 2.5 & 3.0 6cyl, as fitted in the Senator so external components should be the same.

The 2.4 engine was also used in 16V format in the works Opel Mantas.

It can be found in 2.0 form in the Ascona Carlton Manta MK1 Cavalier also, 1.6, 1.9 litre and 2.2 in most Vauxhalls including the CF Van

The ISUZU Engines are the 2.8 and the 3.2 the latter being developed off the Honda V6

Majority of GM parts have an eight-figure part no, to convert this to Isuzu put the number 8 before the part no and 0 at the end, you now have the Isuzu part number.

Maintenance
We all have the ability to perform most mechanical tasks on our Fronteras, 98% of the time it is purely using common sense to get the job done.

For instance several people have commented that their vehicles failed the MOT because of corroded brake pipes. Why? – Probably because they or the previous owner didn’t clean their chassis down after prolonged period of very cold weather. Check underneath them on a regular basis as any responsible 4x4 owner should, and you can save yourself loads of cash.

Our Fronteras take some stick from the elements but most of all Rock Salt; everything metal underneath our vehicles is open to attack from rust and corrosion.

Main points for the uninitiated are:

If you can buy a Haynes Manual for your Frontera.
Keep it clean – apart from keeping your bodywork shiny there is a place that some people completely forget about, the engine compartment. It is worth the £20 or less to have your under-bonnet area cleaned professionally, you could save that on diagnosing the first problem you have.
By keeping your engine and engine bay clean you can easily trace leaks, of oil, coolant and fuel, its easier cleaner and probably cheaper to work on your engine and ancillaries, trace electrical problems, misfires etc.
A good quality basic set of tools, not just a hammer and screwdriver (could be a gift idea for Christmas or birthday?)
When stripping anything, put the parts somewhere safe and clean, clean newspaper costs nothing.
Lay the parts out in the order you take them off it makes re-assembly a breeze.
If in doubt make notes as you go.
Protect your chassis – clean it off regularly and if you haven’t already done so “Waxoil” it!

Last edited by I Live For FOG on Sun Mar 25, 2007 8:14 am, edited 1 time in total.

Hi, this is my 1st post so please be gentle with me!
I used to be the stores manager at IBC (Isuzu Bedford Corperation) and enjoyed my time ensuring that the parts arrived at the Luton plant on time.
My wife runs a Frontera 2.5TDS Estate and enjoys it very much and even takes it off-road occassionally!
It was very interesting to see the parts come from all over the UK, USA and Japan to build this under-rated vehicle and I look forward to posting more frequently.

Im afraid I no longer work on site.
There are many rumours and the Saab engined model is a very old one.
At one stage, did you know, GM were going to re-locate the build of the Frontera to Ellesmere Port, spent approx. 27m and then decided against it, deciding to cease production alltogether.